General Soil Map of Texas Now Available

Temple, Texas, April 15, 2009 – A General Soil Map of Texas that shows broad areas of soil types is now available on the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Web site.

The NRCS soils staff, in collaboration with the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), part of the Universities of Texas System, developed a General Soil Map of Texas. Soil scientists and geological information systems specialists compiled soils data into one statewide map, as well as developed descriptions for each map unit that describes how the soils were formed, the type and depth of the soils, and where the soils can be found on the landscape.

General soil maps show broad areas that have a distinctive pattern of soils, relief, and drainage. Each map unit on the general soil map is a unique natural landscape. Typically, it consists of one or more major soils or miscellaneous areas and some minor soils or miscellaneous areas. The map unit is named for the major soils or miscellaneous areas. The components of one map unit can occur in another but in a different pattern.

The general soil map of Texas is suitable to use as a teaching tool for students and the general public because it provides an overall view of the variety of soils in Texas. According to NRCS soil scientists, the general soil map is not suitable for planning the management of a farm or field or for selecting a site for a road or building or other structure because of its small scale. The soils in any one map unit differ from place to place in slope, depth, drainage, and other characteristics that affect management.

The General Soil Map of Texas is available to the public on the Texas NRCS Web site at http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/soil. This Web site contains other maps and materials relating to soils that are available for use by the public. More soil maps can be found on Web Soil Survey at http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov or by contacting your local NRCS office.

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